Cardiac support devices for treating congestive heart failure are known. One such cardiac support device includes a compliant and sometimes elastic jacket for reducing tension in the heart wall by constraining or resisting expansion of the heart. Tools and methods for delivering cardiac support devices using minimally invasive surgical procedures are also known. Cardiac support devices of these types and associated delivery tools and methods are described, for example, in the following U.S. patents and published applications, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,702,343, 6,155,972, 6,193,648, 6,293,906, 6,482,146, 6,682,476, 6,902,524, 6,425,856, 6,908,426, 6,572,533, 6,951,534, 6,702,732, 6,723,041, 2006/0009831, 2005/0288715, 2005/0256368, 2005/0171589, 2005/0090707, 2005/0059854 and 2005/0059855.
There remains, however, a continuing need for improved cardiac support devices and related delivery tools and methods. In particular, there is a need for devices, tools and methods of these types that can be used in connection with minimally invasive surgical procedures.